Ripped of by Bank Machine

[Ice]

Originally Posted by T@T

As Ice stated they put a hold on an amount but you should have had to press the OK button for up to $75.00.

And Ice, It must be a nightmare in the States making sure the bills are correct going into an ATM..at least up here we have colors!

Yeah, if you don't pay attention, 20's and 50's look a heck of a lot alike. They've started adding color to our currency. I haven't been in banking for a while. I'd never go back. Its just not worth it. It ended up being a miserable and stressful job.

[OzSome]

Originally Posted by T@T

Here's a beauty for ya!
I got a call from a guy in a bar where I have a machine one time, He was all upset that my machine ripped him off for $200.00 and he couldn't pay his bar tab because of it, since the pub was close to my house I decided to go and settle this in person, I get there and ask him did he get a receipt? he says yes and shows me a receipt for $200.00 but swears he didn't get the money, so I ask him for his bank card (I point out the last 4 digits are shown on receipt) He says..the machine didn't give it back to me! I said really? he says yes..and I want my money now!
I said Buddy..before you get charged with fraud do you want to change your story? He looks at me right stupid like and then I tell him the ATM has a "swipe" card reader please explain how it kept your card.

Moral of the story is goofs like this try to give white label ATM's a bad name. I bet he told 20 people in the bar that the ATM ripped him off before I got there.

Don't you love it when they just started yelling at you accussing your ATM to steal their money. I was at the casino where we have an ATM machine. I just happenned to come in to fill up the machine but before I do it, i waited for a few people to finish withdrawing some money. The 4th guy came up to the security guy and started yelling saying the machine took his card and did not give him any money. The security tried to talk to this guy calmly but he wouldn't quit yelling. So, I came in and talk to the guy. I told him we own the machine and if he can explain what he did, I will try to find out what the problem is. First I asked if he received a receipt, he said yes and he showed it to me. Then he told me the machine ate his card, which is impossible because on our machine will ask you to remove your card in order to choose how much you will withdraw. So, I opened up the machine and showed him there is no ATM card anywhere in the machine. He was getting angry because for him I was accussing him of lying. So, I asked him to check his wallet or pocket and maybe just maybe he removed the card and put it back in his wallet and he just forgot. He was yelling so some of the security guards started coming in to sort of watch out for me in case he gets violent. I was still calm and I asked him again. Lo and behold his card in his wallet and he handed it to me. I checked the last 4 digits and compare it to the receipt. It was the right receipt but I pointed out to him that the reason he did not get any money was because his bank declined his transaction for insufficient funds. I handed back his card and receipt and the guy bolted out of the casino as fast as he can.
Another incident I have was in the same casino. I got a call from Slot Supervisor telling me that there is a guy who are getting angry and giving them a hard time. He claimed he didn't get his atm card back. I asked some questions and the slot supervisors said there is no reasoning with this guy and he wouldn't let anyone touch the machine until he gets his card. Luckily our office is a few minutes away from the casino so I drove to casino and went straight to the machine. He was there with his buddy along with the Slot Supervisor and one of casino manager. I explained how atm works and there is no way our machine eats his card. So, he gets his wallet and he started telling me see.. see.. then he saw his atm card in his wallet. He said how did it get there (innocent look). His buddy starts telling him, dude I don't know you and walk away. He was apologetic to me but I told don't say sorry to me... say sorry to this ladies you gave a hard time for 30 minutes or so. After he left, we all started laughing.
The moral of the story is: before people accuse others, they should check first becasue you don't want to get embarrass at the end.

[Ice]

Originally Posted by nfotiu

I have to rebut T@T's claims here and go along with flip. About 7-8 years ago, I was dropping off a friend at the Calgary grey hound terminal. I withdrew $400 while I was in there. It made a sound like it was dispensing money, but no bills came out. i got a receipt stating I got my money. No one at the terminal could help. I had to deal with the no-name atm company. Took calling lawyers and police and finally after 4 weeks I got my money back.

We have regulations here that would limit the investigation time to ten business days. It shouldn't have taken that long. Even when money is counted but not dispensed, the machine tape will reflect that as those bills will end up in the reject bin. ATM machines which are maintained by banks are very, very safe to use without much risk at all. Personally, I will not use any ATM in a fast food restaurant, 7-11 or the small kiosks in parks, malls, shopping centers, etc. But if its a machine owned and operated by a major bank I don't think twice about it. They're even optical now, you don't have to tell it how much your depositing, they read it themselves. If you follow the instructions, its very accurate.

[gottabekd]

Since we are all sharing stories, I went down to the local TD (during banking hours). I go the ATM, withdraw $60. The machine gives me $40. WTF?

So I go to the teller "Hi, I used the ATM to take out $60, and it gave me $40."
"Oh yea, we're having problems with it." (WTF? Why not put up an out of order sign or something?)
"Well, can I get my $20?"
"Oh, we don't have anything to do with those machines."
Anyways, manager finally gave me a phone number to go home and call. I called it, told the guy about the bank machine. He credited my account without any trouble.

In this case, it was my bank, and they could look at my years of past activity and thought it worthwhile to take me at my word. For a generic ATM, it might be tougher to get the credit, but shouldn't be impossible.

[T@T]

Originally Posted by nfotiu

I have to rebut T@T's claims here and go along with flip. About 7-8 years ago, I was dropping off a friend at the Calgary grey hound terminal. I withdrew $400 while I was in there. It made a sound like it was dispensing money, but no bills came out. i got a receipt stating I got my money. No one at the terminal could help. I had to deal with the no-name atm company. Took calling lawyers and police and finally after 4 weeks I got my money back.

The older machines like 7-10 years ago had a few flaws, one was the dispense chute, you could actually shove a (sock..whatever) up there and block the money from coming out. A guy with a key (front door on most makes had same key) would sit and watch and come get your cash when you left. A guy in the states did this for 6 months and got over 200 grand before he got caught. Today's white label machines do not allow for such crap. they will shut down on the first jammed bill.

FYI, Huge misconception, Bank ATM's are not any more secure than a white label ATM, they use the same servers and to tell you the truth they are less reliable on a whole for actually working(I know as i repair them all) ...white labels just cost you a little extra. And I thank you very much for your support.

[Locke]

Scotiabank sucks something hard and crusty. I'd rather walk through Hell barefoot than ever deal with Scotiabank.

[T@T]

Originally Posted by Locke

Scotiabank sucks something hard and crusty. I'd rather walk through Hell barefoot than ever deal with Scotiabank.

Not sure where that came from but...all banks suck one way or the other, don't pick on a bluenoser bank

[BuzzardsWife]

Originally Posted by Daradon

Fair enough, perhaps I am just super bitter with banks.

I've chased down people that have left money in an ATM or returned it up front, knowing people would be looking for it. I'm extremely generous and helpful for people who are in need or in trouble.

But if it was truly a bank only error, I don't think I'd have any trouble chalking it up to good karma on my part and taking the extra 80 bucks.

NOt trying to turn this into an 'honesty'thread..but..I always try to do the right thing..I do believe in Karma.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by gottabekd

Since we are all sharing stories, I went down to the local TD (during banking hours). I go the ATM, withdraw $60. The machine gives me $40. WTF?

So I go to the teller "Hi, I used the ATM to take out $60, and it gave me $40."
"Oh yea, we're having problems with it." (WTF? Why not put up an out of order sign or something?)
"Well, can I get my $20?"
"Oh, we don't have anything to do with those machines."
Anyways, manager finally gave me a phone number to go home and call. I called it, told the guy about the bank machine. He credited my account without any trouble.

In this case, it was my bank, and they could look at my years of past activity and thought it worthwhile to take me at my word. For a generic ATM, it might be tougher to get the credit, but shouldn't be impossible.

Sort of the same thing happened to me once at a TD. I took out 60 bucks and got 40. I am kind of dumb so I didn't notice at the time.

After a complicated procedure of counting my money (it involved taking off my socks) I realized I had been shortchanged. I went to the teller an hour later and telled her my tale of woe and she gave me the cocked-eyebrow routine and then gave me 20 bucks and said something like "we won't know if you are lying or not until the machine is serviced, but if you are, your account will be flagged".

My account was not flagged but believe me, I was fagged after that.

In related news, with some added punctuation the title of this thread would make a good song title.

"Ripped Of. By Bank Machine".

[Daradon]

Originally Posted by BuzzardsWife

NOt trying to turn this into an 'honesty'thread..but..I always try to do the right thing..I do believe in Karma.

Bah, banks steal from me on a daily basis!

Reading the CP confessional thread I think I'm doing ok morally, lol!

Besides, you gotta cash in your karma every once in a while.

As I mentioned, if it's a case of left over money in the ATM when I get there (happened to me 3 times) I always turn it in, knowing it's someone elses. So that's pretty honest.

But if the bank is going to mess up, I don't have a lot of sympathy for them.

[Torture]

One time I used an RBC ATM...just withdrew $40 or so....receipt says $200 though. Weird. Too late at night to actually talk to a teller and I was pretty drunk so I just head out for a night of debauchery and decide to deal with it in the morning.

I check my bank account the next day when I sober up, and there was only $40 taken out of my account.....receipt still said $200 though. Confused the hell out of me.

[Save Us Sutter]

To those who are saying the machines don't mess up, how do you explain this?

Back in Halifax a few years ago, I used an ATM at a sketchy store known for selling the cheapest smokes in the city. I took out 40 bucks, machine gives me 80. Light bulb goes off. I take out 100 dollars, machine gives me 200. YES!

I literally run to my buddies house and inform him that there is a 2 for 1 sale at the ATM down the street. He also drains his account of the 200 bucks or whatever was in it and also gets double.

We are on top of the world and head straight to the NSLC, calling everyone we know to tell them to get to the store. Not sure if anyone else got away with it or not, but I do know I stayed clear of that place for months afterward just in case they somehow knew.

Also want to point of that stealing = bad karma.... but stealing from banks = good karma.

[flamesfever]

Originally Posted by Daradon

Bah, banks steal from me on a daily basis!

Reading the CP confessional thread I think I'm doing ok morally, lol!

Besides, you gotta cash in your karma every once in a while.

As I mentioned, if it's a case of left over money in the ATM when I get there (happened to me 3 times) I always turn it in, knowing it's someone elses. So that's pretty honest.

But if the bank is going to mess up, I don't have a lot of sympathy for them.

I think the best way to counter high bank fees is to buy bank stocks, not capitalize on their mistakes.

They are currently paying fairly good dividends and usually perform best when the stock market rises out of a recession.

[flamesfever]

Originally Posted by fotze

The bank capitalizes on your mistakes. Overdraft, credit card rates, using interac.

Yes but at least you are given the rules of the game beforehand, and can take steps to avoid the pitfalls.

Don't get me wrong, there are some things that irk me about banks, for example:

1. Their disrespect for my time by having to wait in long lineups

2. The huge salaries paid to bank executives.

3. Seeing my daughter pay $3.50 when she takes $20.00 out of a non-bank cash machine.

4. Having to show you don't need the money before they'll lend it to you.

Having said all that, I still think we have the best banks, and those who work in them, in the world.

[Wookie]

Having worked at a bank I can vouch for most ATM's being pretty good.
Also I withdrew $60 from a saddledome ATM, it was spitting out the money and I had my hand there. The last bill hit my hand and got sucked right back up into the machine WTF... I called bank, they said when the machine was calibrated I'd get my money. Few days later the withdraw was $40.

[Daradon]

Originally Posted by flamesfever

I think the best way to counter high bank fees is to buy bank stocks, not capitalize on their mistakes.

They are currently paying fairly good dividends and usually perform best when the stock market rises out of a recession.

That is true, and supposedly the Canadian banks are among the best prepared to handle the up coming crisis.

Still, then isn't that kinda like supporting them to continue charging me crazy fees for no service?

'I so appreciate the fact you take advantage of me I'm going to purchase a small part of your company!'

[Aeneas]

Originally Posted by flip

If it is the no name kind, I believe this is incorrect. If say a machine at the dome, or at the French Maid, screws you, it is the no name company who you need to go after, and they will likely tell you to piss off.

My father is a banker and often warns me not to withdraw large amounts from those machines.

I have nothing relevant to add to the discussion (I keep my money buried in the yard) but I wonder why, Flip, does your father have to tell you "often"?

Don't you young guys these days listen to your parents?

[flamesfever]

Originally Posted by Daradon

That is true, and supposedly the Canadian banks are among the best prepared to handle the up coming crisis.

Still, then isn't that kinda like supporting them to continue charging me crazy fees for no service?

'I so appreciate the fact you take advantage of me I'm going to purchase a small part of your company!'

You're right, but at least you can then attend their AGM and get your concerns off your chest. I'm not saying they'll act on your complaints though.

I think one of the banks gave an elderly woman a special citation for coming forth each year at their AGM to express her concerns.

Please don't ask me what the special citation is worth .

[Daradon]

^^^ Well if the buffet is good it may just be worth it...

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Aeneas

[/B]
I have nothing relevant to add to the discussion (I keep my money buried in the yard) but I wonder why, Flip, does your father have to tell you "often"?

Don't you young guys these days listen to your parents?

You poor, delusional man....wait until that kid of yours gets old enough to ignore everything you tell her.